Many tradeoffs are encountered in the design of wireless patient monitoring systems. In particular, system characteristics related to data transmission such as time from acquisition to display of physiological signals are typically compromised in favor of lower power consumption in a battery-powered wireless transmitter. Such systems usually include an acquisition device, for example, a set of ECG leads coupled with a small, battery-powered transmitter that may be worn or attached to the patient or the patient's bed.
Such acquisition devices and transmitters have a limited power supply, for example, from a battery, and such wireless transmission uses a considerable amount of power in transmitting the physiological signals collected by the acquisition device to a receiver for display. Some of these systems add delay in order to conserve power by collecting and briefly storing physiological signals and therefore transmitting them less often than with a comparable wired connection. However, adding delay may not be satisfactory for the user.
In addition to performance tradeoffs, the design of a wireless patient monitoring system must take into account important safety considerations, such as timely delivery of information and alerts, and the accuracy of signals presented. It is necessary for the device to implement mitigations to prevent the occurrence of these hazards.